From Manual to Smart Manufacturing: Advancements in Assembly for Future Factories
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63282/3050-9246.IJETCSIT-V6I4P122Keywords:
Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, Lights-Off Factory, Automation, Robots, Multifunctional Machines, Digital Twins, Lean ProductionAbstract
Manufacturing is experiencing a historic transformation from labor-intensive manual assembly toward intelligent, interconnected, and autonomous production. The increasing deployment of industrial robots, multifunctional machines (MFMs), and humanoid systems, combined with artificial intelligence (AI), is enabling the concept of “lights-off” factories that can operate continuously with minimal human intervention. This paper traces the evolution of assembly automation, from Henry Ford’s moving line and Toyota’s lean principles to Tesla’s high-automation journey, Apple’s precision robotics ecosystem, and FANUC’s fully autonomous “lights-off” plant. Lessons learned from these pioneers inform the design of future factories facilities that combine human intelligence with robotic precision, flexibility, and resilience
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